


Memory is a Shade

by LadyLade



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 14:58:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4710149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLade/pseuds/LadyLade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris remembers, because someone has to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memory is a Shade

**Author's Note:**

> Teen Wolf Kink meme prompt: He remembers how, when Derek wasn't looking, Kate would watch him like he was the only person in the world. She may have forgotten that in the end, but Chris remembers. (Original prompt is [here](http://teenwolfkink.livejournal.com/2069.html?thread=999701#t999701). Livejournal post is [here](http://ladylade.livejournal.com/16332.html).)

Chris thinks that he knew what Kate did all along. He didn’t (doesn’t) _want_ to believe, but looking back—Chris knew. He knew because after the fire something in Kate’s eyes was broken, was feral and injured. He knew because he remembers how Kate used to look at Derek: she used to look at him like Derek encompassed the world, like Derek was the only beautiful person to ever exist.

When Kate brought Derek home, the first thing Chris thought was, _thank god Dad is dead_. Their father would have shot Derek as soon as he stepped on the porch, neighbors be damned. The second thing he thought was, _what the hell is she doing?_

It was no secret (at least, to the Argents) that the Hales are werewolves. And Chris couldn’t help but wonder what had made Kate go anywhere near Derek—she wasn’t a die-hard hunter, but she also never had sympathy for werewolves.

She and Derek had lasted for four months. It was four months of Kate smiling and laughing and, whenever Derek did something like give her flowers or tell her she was beautiful, moments where Kate softened. Those moments of vulnerability, Chris had seen the girl she would have been, maybe, if she hadn’t grown up knowing that darkness existed in the world. She was _happy_.

The fire, though, the fire changed everything. It was subtle, but Kate grew hard eyes and a sharp, _mean_ tongue. Chris convinced himself that it was because Kate never saw Derek after the fire. He convinced himself it was because Kate would never see him again.

Until now, that is.

Now, she doesn’t even look at him. Chris wonders if Kate even realizes it; when she shoots Derek, her eyes jump away from his face like a runner taking off from the starting line, and maybe the fire wasn’t because Kate broke, maybe Kate broke because of the fire. Maybe Kate had convinced herself that the fire was her destiny, and in the end she burned too, burned that soft, happy girl hiding inside her.

Kate may not remember how she used to look at Derek, but Chris remembers. He remembers how the fire was on the night that, after weeks of talking excitedly about it, Derek and Laura when to visit a prospective college. He remembers, because someone has to.


End file.
